


Good Book?

by BetaDilemma



Series: Royalty AU [2]
Category: Saint Seiya
Genre: Fluff, Gardener Shun, King Camus, King Milo, M/M, Prince Hyoga, Royalty AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23745340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetaDilemma/pseuds/BetaDilemma
Summary: It seems Hyoga and Shun can't meet without at least one of them getting hurt. Hyoga was just trying to read peacefully in the palace gardens when he got startled by the one person who can make him lose all of his composure without trying.
Relationships: Andromeda Shun/Cygnus Hyōga, Aquarius Camus/Scorpio Milo
Series: Royalty AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709935
Comments: 3
Kudos: 43





	Good Book?

“Good book?”

Hyoga jumped in his seat, his book flew out of his hands and his knee hit the table, spilling his drink.

“Fuck!” He shouted in pain, now left with no book, a sore knee and a wet shirt.

“I’m sorry!” Shun hurried over to him, “I didn’t mean to startle you, my lord!”

Hyoga whipped his head in Shun’s direction. ‘The Flower Boy!’ 

“Ah… it’s f-fine! I’m alright! Just... a bit wet… I guess…” He really couldn’t make a good impression on Flower Boy even when actually well dressed.

“Still.. I’m sorry. We keep meeting like this and it’s all my fault.” Shun didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. He just wanted to talk to the cute blond guest and he messed that up yet again.

“Well at least now you’re not in danger of dying from peeping into other people’s rooms!” Hyoga laughed but quickly got a mortified look on his face. “Shit- I mean, fuc- no wait I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that! You were just working, my deepest apologies! I didn’t mean to imply you were d-doing anything unseemly!” Hyoga turned bright red, shame coloring him from ears to neck. “My apologies, it was a joke in bad taste, I don’t know what came over me…” Hyoga looked pleadingly into Shun’s eyes.

Shun smiled at him and chuckled, “It’s quite alright, my lord. It was just an accident. Like this just now…” Shun cleared the table and handed Hyoga his book. “Here you are. Is it good? The title sounds interesting.”

This surprised him. No one outside of his family generally cared about his reading habits, especially the servants. Even his tutors didn't care if it wasn't class material

“Oh uh..” he stumbled, trying to get an answer out, “It’s… it’s a… a love story…”

“Really? Is it good?”

Hyoga couldn’t help but feel a little shy admitting this. He knows he should be focusing on politics and economics and strategy books, things that will actually help him in the future.

But he was tired. Tired of being stuck at home. Tired of focusing only on the useful things his tutors shoved down his throat. So he hid in the garden with the small romance novel he found in the palace library. He was sure no one would find him.

Seeing Flower Boy’s honest and curious face when he said it made him feel a bit better.

“Yes, actually. I've only read a few chapters so I don't know a lot about it but I’m enjoying it so far. It’s set in south! It’s one of the books Father brought back when he went there to visit his family. He has good taste in books so… I thought I’d try it.”

Hyoga looked truly happy. Shun smiled. Seeing him talk excitedly about something he enjoyed was wonderful. He didn’t dare interrupt.

“It’s actually a retelling of an old southern legend. I really enjoy those. They’re just so wonderful and daring and inventive. I never know what to expect next! And this story follows two warriors who fight together in a war. Side by side against the world, having each other’s backs. A show of true companionship, don’t you think so?! Oh!” Hyoga caught himself, his face getting red once more. “My apologies. I… I got a little too excited there…”

Shun smiled and leaned on the table. 

“Not at all! It’s really nice to see you smiling and talking so much.” 

Hyoga thought his face would never go back to its normal color

“Still… I shouldn’t have forgotten myself…” Hyoga put his book on the table and did his best to calm down.

“A person can’t just work nonstop. You need to have fun too and if this is something you enjoy then why hide it?” Shun looked around him, at the flowers he’d been taking care of. “I love my work, taking care of other living things. I wasn’t born into a family that could pay for me to go to medical school so I decided to take care of other beautiful things.” Shun walked to a particular bush and pulled out a white rose. He grabbed a tool from his belt and started taking out all the thorns.

“Yes, that is true…” Hyoga thought of his brother. He worked so hard to learn as much as he could so he could be a good king when his time came. And he still found time to spend with Hyoga.

Hyoga loved his brother a lot and was grateful he found time for them to spend together but he often felt like a bother. Like dead weight. Isaak was always there for him, even at his own expense. Try as he might, he could never hide as much from Hyoga as Camus could. The half hidden black smudges under his eyes. His frequent yawns. The stiffness in his joints.

Hyoga might not be as smart as his brother but the signs were there for everyone to see, clear as day.

“I’m sorry, I said something I shouldn’t have…”

Hyoga blinked back into reality. He saw Flower Boy nervously rubbing his fingers together, a worried expression on his face.

“N-no! I’m the one who should apologize. I just… got lost in thought.” Hyoga tried to smile at him. It was hard to keep a happy face when comparing his and his brother’s lives.

Shun frowned. He knew the blond was prone to melancholy but to see it happen so fast right in front of him was surreal. It made Shun want to cheer him up. Someone so nice and beautiful shouldn’t feel so sad all the time. 

“I’m alright. It’s nothing.” Shun heard those words but it was hard not to notice the sudden shine in his eyes. 

“It must be hard to hold so many things inside all the time.”

“Huh?” Hyoga looked up at him.

“That look on your face says you haven’t been truly happy in a while. Or something big happened.” Shun leaned on his broom, “It’s not any of my business, my lord, but I truly hope you find happiness again soon." A smile graced his features. “You’re really handsome when you smile…”

Hyoga could only stare at him, eyes wide, blush strong on his face yet again. Shun laughed internally. The contrast between his red face and his bright hair was adorable.

“As a guest of the Kings, you should take your time to relax here. It’s really peaceful. The fresh air soothes the soul. The northern flowers are unlike any others.” Shun got up and handed Hyoga the white rose he plucked from the bush, “One as beautiful as this flower should only be graced with happiness and joy, not sadness…”

Speechless once more, Hyoga took the flower. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. He had never had anyone say these things to him so honestly. This gardener boy seemed to think he was a guest of his parents rather than the prince. For now, it seemed like he wasn’t trying to gain anything from him. Would that change once he learned who he really was?

Of course it would. It was inevitable.

His identity wouldn’t remain a secret for long but Flower Boy wouldn’t learn the truth from him, Hyoga decided. He wouldn’t break this little dream so soon. 

All the things this boy was telling him were things he wished to hear all his life. Wonderful compliments, comparing him to beautiful things, being gentle and kind… Almost as if he were the protagonist from one of his love stories. It honestly made Hyoga feel quite giddy inside. He was sure the other could read him like an open book with how hot his face felt.

“Yes… you’re right. This is a beautiful place. I should... Um… enjoy my time here. Especially in such fine company…” Hyoga tried to give a compliment back, though now he felt it was such a cheesy line to use. He could barely peek between his bangs at the boy in front of him.

“Oh…!” Shun blushed, “T-Thank you, my lord, but really. I’m just a gardener. And I’m new. I’m hardly what one calls ‘fine company’. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Seeing you here all alone made me a bit worried, especially since the last time I saw you, you had your ankle bandaged.”

“I’m alright now, no need to worry.” Hyoga would die before admitting he wasn’t fully healed. If he had to spend another day cooped up in that palace he’d go insane. “I just hoped to get away from the bustle of the palace for a little while.”

“I see. Well, I’m sorry again for disturbing, my lord. I won’t disturb your reading time any longer.” Shun gave a small bow.

“No! Please, don’t apologize. It was a welcome distraction, truly.”

“Even so, you came here to relax and I don’t want to be a bother. And to be truthful, I still have work to do.”

“Ah… my apologies, I’m keeping you from your work. Please, keep going. I should go back inside at any rate. My- I mean, his highness must be wondering where I am by now. Goodbye, sir” 

“Have a nice day, my lord” Shun smiled and waited for him to turn around and leave before doing the same, disappearing between the rose bushes.

Hyoga walked on, holding his book on one hand and the freshly picked white rose on the other. He drew it up to his face. It smelled wonderful. Flower boy seemed to be doing a great job with the flowers; and making Hyoga’s heart get all the exercise he had been missing for the past few days thanks to his ankle.

He placed the flower in his breast pocket and took a deep breath. He had wanted for so long to be like those protagonists in his books but actually being the focus of another’s sweet words felt better than he'd ever imagined it would be.

It helped that Flower Boy was so beautiful…

“...Flower boy-” He hadn’t even asked his name! “Hey! Wait!” Hyoga hurried back to where he’d been sitting, hoping to catch him. “I didn’t catch your name!” 

Hyoga stopped next to the chair he’s previously been occupying. ‘He’s gone… Well, if he works in the palace I’m bound to meet him again sooner or later. I’ll just have to remember to ask for his name instead of… gaping and blushing like a little kid…’

He caught no sight of him, no matter how hard he looked around. Flower Boy wasn’t a bad name, if anyone asked Hyoga, but he’d like to have the boy’s actual name imprinted in his mind. A name to distinguish him from all the others.

“Urgh stop it, Hyoga… You just met him. Don’t be dreaming already. Remember what Papa said.” Shaking his head, he took a deep breath again and walked back to the palace, white rose now snug in his breast pocket. 

As he walked towards the back entrance of the palace, he caught a glimpse of both his fathers sitting close together in the gazebo overlooking the lake. He stopped in his tracks. They were too far away for Hyoga to hear them but he could see their little gestures of affection from afar. Camus’s head on Milo’s shoulder, their hands locked together; Milo’s fingers gently caressing Camus’s own. 

Hyoga smiled and turned away, giving them privacy. He only wished he would one day find someone to love just as his parents found each other.


End file.
